Telos Global ramps up its testing and production operations of press-hardened steels in the United States; the new subsidiary of plant manufacturer Eisenmann is entering a prosperous market and offers its customers valuable support, right from first putting pen to paper in development.
Press-hardened steels allow car manufacturers and their suppliers to develop very lightweight and strong components. Hot stamping is primarily used in the production of high-volume vehicles as its manufacture is significantly cheaper than solutions using aluminum or carbon fiber. The components are installed in the form of B-pillars through roof structures, rocker panels and cross beams to complete door frames. Up to a quarter of a vehicle's body shell consists of press-hardened steel these days. With this continuing upward trend, OEMs' needs are also set to grow regarding production, but also regarding knowledge transfer in development and processes. This is why South German systems expert Eisenmann cofounded its subsidiary Telos Global alongside industry expert Rick Teague in 2016, based near Knoxville, Tennessee. Production is currently starting in a highly advanced test and production facility in a 17,000 sqm factory.
Center of excellence and production
The start-up's site was chosen deliberately, as Telos Global is aimed primarily at the automotive and supply market in the United States. The center of excellence is operated by a team of specialists with many years of production and process technology expertise and decades of experience in plant construction. This includes die construction and a complete, fullyautomated production plant, which can manufacture orders ranging from prototype construction through to complete production series as required.
With Telos Global, CEO Axel Weiand wants to "develop the growing market for press-hardened steels in the automotive sector. The trend for lightweight construction is boosting the market for plant manufacturers in this technology. The many years of extensive production experience from our parent company Eisenmann, combined with the process and production prowess of our experts, gives us a clear competitive advantage." The team is creating the specifications of the entire plant together with the client. The support therefore does not begin only with the sale of an optimized production line: From consulting on component development and the engineering, planning and implementation of production technology, from prototype construction to pre-production through to production and extensive services, Telos Global has all the phases of the value chain covered, including appropriate training, production expertise transfer and operational optimization.
"Telos is a full-service provider that supports its customers in partnership and with advice from the very beginning – from the first time the pen is put to paper to create a product until the end of its life cycle. We enable the further development of new components without delay and direct production on our test system on a production scale. This makes us stand head and shoulders above the competition," says Axel Weiand.
The young company has at its heart the availability and further development of knowledge. It is currently launching a collaboration with the renowned Grundig Academy in form of a two-day press-hardening seminar. In the surroundings of center of excellence, luminaries such as steel expert Prof. Taylan Altan will provide training on material properties and theoretical production backgrounds to production and team leaders as well as managers of numerous American manufacturing companies. Telos Global is making a significant contribution to the event and is responsible for the practical training on production, quality testing, parameter adherence and laboratory tests.